Saturday 10 September 2022

Curlew Sandpiper plus quickest ever resighting

A light north wind to begin with, but it wobbled around from east to NW in the afternoon. Largely overcast with sunny spells 

Heysham Nature Reserve 
Report by Jean:
Fewer birds on the move today, the highlight being a small flock of Tree Sparrows:
Chaffinch 2
Goldfinch 7
Tree Sparrow 5 and possibly another flock of 6
Grey Wagtail 6
Pied Wagtail 1

3-4 Jays were squabbling in the trees

Ringing:
Grey Wagtail 4
Goldcrest 6
Blackcap 2
Greenfinch 2
Goldfinch 2
Dunnock 1
Blackcap 1

One of the Grey Wagtails that was colour ringed here yesterday at 08:55 was seen just over 90 minutes later at Bank End, 8km SE!

South shore 
First an update from yesterday:
Shag with at least 82 Cormorant on the wooden jetty (Pete)

I just checked from Red Nab to saltmarsh (MD)
It felt deserted today!
No passerines on Red Nab and none along the foreshore till right at the slipway end.....
Wheatear 1
No finches feeding around the saltmarsh edges, strange, perhaps a small raptor had flushed them.
Rock Pipit 1 on Rocky outcrop 
Lapwing, just 3 today, the Osprey would have been fine if it had showed, but it didn't.

I had a walk out onto the mud - not something you should do on a rising spring tide, without sound knowledge of the area and tides. Even then you get precious little time as the tide quickly covers this almost flat area of shore.
A large group of waders on the waterline were too distant to count but included Grey Plover and Knot. But the spring tides leave the mud wet and many small waders feed nearer the shore 
Ringed Plover 70+
Dunlin 10
Curlew Sandpiper 1 juvenile 

Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper with Ringed Plover
The sun was shining at this point, in the above shot its breast and throat are in the shade making its throat look a cold grey. The shot below half of the throat is in the light, revealing it to be a peachy shade.
Juvenile Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin

Redshank 100+ on saltmarsh 
Little Egret 10 on saltmarsh 
Some of the Redshank, Lapwing and Little Egret on saltmarsh 


Janet took these shots at the north end of Moneyclose Lane
Painted Lady 

Painted Lady and Red Admiral